Brain Death Senario

Physicians assisting in suicide deaths are not productive in this area because some not trained in this field of expertise. Moll assert, doctors, are of little help. They have no training in how to discuss end-of-life issues with families and patients, so they avoid the conversation and call on other staff trained in this area. (88) Moll also points out, "people wants to be cared for, even if they do not want every possible procedure performed on them." (88) The best thing for people to do is discuss their end-of-life arrangements before major decision making is needed so the doctors, hospital staff and family members would not have to deal with the stress of this situation.

It is also clear that while making these decisions, the decisions ought to be made based on informed consent (Werth and Crow 195). Sometime, the patient may be experiencing dementia, clinical depression or delirium for which they may be affecting the patient’s decision making capabilities (Werth and Crow 197, 198). If such a person is allowed to make their right-to-die decision, this may be done without the patient having comprehensive information before consent and thus should not be encouraged (Werth and Crow 198).

It is important to remember that care of the patient does not end when the patient dies. After the death there is still work to be done in the form of comforting the bereaved family members. It has been reported that some

CNA Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses (2008) provides guidance in dealing with cases like this by explaining the core nursing values and responsibilities involved which are: a) providing safe, compassionate, competent and ethical care; b) promoting health and well-being; c) promoting and respecting informed decision-making, and d) Preserving dignity; e) maintaining confidentiality, f) promoting justice and g) being accountable. The first nursing value is always expected to be upheld in any case because it is their duty to provide care using appropriate safety precautions and preventing/minimizing all forms of violence (CNA, 2008). The collaboration of the nurses between the physician and Mr. C’s family has been evident since then. This therefore calls Mr. C’s nurses to be more compassionate about his situation and try to recognize where he is coming from as they build a trust-worthy relationship before judging him or jumping into conclusions like he does not want to live anymore. Even if he decides to withdraw from these potentially life-sustaining treatments, health care providers are still obliged to give him the care he need the best way they can up until the end of his life. The second nursing value, just like the first one, still calls nurses to still aim to promote or at least maintain Mr. C’s health and well-being to the highest possible level regardless of the path he had chosen for his life. This can be achieved by continuing to collaborate well with other

Depending on the context of how an individual resulted in a state where they were unable to transmit their feelings on if they want to decline or desire to prolong their existence and the connections others around them, should predict who has the power to make medical decisions on the one in question's behalf. In Schiavo's case, she had a medical emergency that resulted in her decline of being unable to communicate her end of life desires, considering her relationship with her loved ones, the closest individual with the highest understanding of her wants should have the authority over her

There are some ethical dilemmas evident in this scenario, starting with an End of life dilemma, refusal of care and informed consent.“End of

In cases like this, relatives need to be involved so a plan about end-of-life issues should be discussed fully and a

This is a subject is one that many people do not to talk or think about. However, it stares many people around the world in the face on a daily basis. It concerns determining when a loved one, who is on life support, is considered dead or alive despite the assisting machinery. In the majority of the cases, a person’s legal representative, usually a family member, is the one who make the choice whether to take a person off of life support. The doctor will give his or her recommendation and then it is up to the individual. There will always be opinions that contradict medical research regarding when a person is clinically dead. Removing someone from life support is no easy decision and no family member or medical person wants to make it.

I chose to look at the above scenario using the Autonomy ethical principle. Autonomy principle says, “you should have the ability to act independently and make decisions for yourself” (Warnock, 2017). Using this approach If a patient has an advanced directive you would follow it because it is the patient’s chose written down in advanced. However, using this principle may violate some social laws or morals. Because, brain dead is the same thing as being dead, the person should be removed from life support (Baillie, McGeehan, Garrett, & Garrett. 2012, p. 260).

     Physicians, nurses and other health care employees must be easily accessible to the patient and family. The same health care team should provide care for the patient, whether at home or in the hospital. The patient’s and family’s life style must be preserved, and their life philosophies respected by the health care practitioners. The loneliness, isolation and fears of abandonment are to be expected and should be dealt with accordingly. No one person can fully meet the needs of the dying patient, instead, a multidisciplinary team must be available to deal with any needs the patient or family may have. The patient should be treated as a person, not a disease. The family must receive adequate support to help in coping with the impending loss of a loved one. The terminally ill patient must be allowed to give as well as receive. The self-respect, identity and freedom of the dying patient should be built up. The family must feel a sense of participation in care giving and in the decision-making. The primary care person attending to a patient at home needs support and occasional relief.

Spinal reflexes, including deep tendon, plantar flexion, and withdrawal reflexes, may remain. Recovery does not occur.” (Maise, “Brain Death – Neurologic Disorders.”) If the brain no longer functions and the only thing keeping a body alive is life support, the person in question is as good as dead. The hospital will file a report with the coroner’s office and the coroner will issue a certificate of death. Life support will only keep a body alive for so long; after brain death, life support functions as a controlled descent into body decomposition. The brain stem is what controls the most primal functions: heart rate, breathing, eating, and more. I researched and researched, but every website I came to told me the same thing: “Without the ventilator giving their body—especially their heart—oxygen, they would die.” (Gogarty, “Does Brain Dead Mean

There are four conditions that help in diagnosing brain death: (1) unreceptivity and unresponsiveness; (2) no movement or breathing; (3) no reflexes;

There are many factors that play a role when caring for the seriously ill and the dying patient that can cause a patient to experience a good death or a bad death. According to the Institute of Medicine’s Committee, a good death is described as “one that is free from avoidable distress and suffering for patients, families, and caregivers; in general record with patients’ and families’ wishes; and reasonably consistent with clinical, cultural and ethical standards” (Lawhorne, 1999). However, a good death does not mean a perfect death or a problem free death, but is to respond to the patient physical needs, suffering, and to support the family that ensures a good death (Ferrell & Coyle, 2010). The purpose of this paper is to do a case analysis on the care of a patient who is facing death or has died. The Framework of a Good Death by Emanuel & Emanuel (1998) will also be incorporated into the case study analysis to evaluate whether a good death was achieved or not.

On the other hand, nurses not only help and support the patients but, when the patients are critically ill, also develop a better understanding about the disease process and this provides an opportunity which will help them to cope these situations in future more effectively. Nurses work with various other professions and this interprofessional collaboration helps them provide a care based on holistic approach, which is client centred and it helps to develop a better relation with the client as well as with client’s family. Providing end of life care, to competitive intensive care patients, require a good communication with patient, and family members. It also requires a better understanding of client needs because nurses are responsible to develop care plans for their patients and unlike ordinary patients; palliative patients have a different view of their life whether they are able to express their selves or not (Canadian nurses association, 2008). Regarding the participation of the patient in end-of-life decision making there had been various views of health care providers. A study was conducted in 1993 on various nurses and physicians related to their thoughts on providing care to palliative patients and it was found that five out of ten nurses went against their conscience in this decision (Solomon et al., 1993, p. 16). Most of the patients which are

During the past year, many health care workers have been worried when caring for patients at the end-of-life stage. Despite death is certain, it is a challenge to our society as well as to the medical services to withhold or stop resuscitation which is one of their responsibilities. Death remains as less pleasant topic and least talked about, but when our beloved one’s choice to die at home and order a DNR healthcare providers should respect and follow the patient and his/ her family last wishes especially if the patient condition is terminal and been through physical and emotional stress.